Sweeter Than Fiction
by wefallinlovewithstrangers
Summary: ShortAU: Austin and Ally are both in high school, and when Ally is asked to write songs for the new school musical and Austin is going to perform them, they quickly grow close together. But real life doesn't work like fiction and things might end up more complicated than they would've wanted.
1. Chapter 1

I was counting my footsteps, praying the floor wouldn't fall through. The door got closer, and I took a deep breath.

This was it. This was the day.

I walked through the door, trying not to get in anybody's way.

The first day of my new school. I was pretty sure it wouldn't be much better than the one before this, but I was still hoping.

"Watch where you're going," someone barked my way, and I muttered a 'sorry', pressing myself to the wall.

I was used to going to a new school every now and then. I did it all the time. Somehow, knowing that I would go to a new school every year was a relieve.

I never really fitted well in schools, but I always managed, because by the time the other kids would have figured out ways to get to me, I would leave again.

The reason I changed schools so much was because my mom travelled a lot so we moved all the time. But now, she was going to Africa for a little while and I wasn't allowed to come.

"It is for the better, Ally" she had said. I wasn't so sure of that.

Not that I didn't like living with my dad. I loved my dad. We have our love for music in common, and although he wasn't always the best father figure I could wish for, I knew he tried really hard.

But my mom had said this might be… Well, forever. She wanted me to have a normal life, without moving around all the time.

That scared me. This school could be it, this could be the one I would have to stay in.

And that meant that this first day was so much more important than any other first day.

The bell rang. Crap, I still didn't know where I had to go.

"You don't look familiar."

I froze when the voice sounded from behind me, but I didn't turn around.

"You new?"

"Uhm…"

The girl who the voice belonged to now stood in front of me. She was smaller than me, but she looked very confident.

Confident very often meant mean, I had found that out a long time ago.

"What, you can't talk?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah."

"Yeah you can't talk?"

"No, yeah, I mean, I can, and I am. New, that is."

This wasn't coming out right. Good job Ally, you were already ruining everything and you have only just walked in.

"Where you going?"

"Algebra," I answered. "But I don't really know where that is."

"Well, it's your lucky day," the girl said.

I doubted that.

"Cause I'm going to algebra, and I don't mind if you follow me."

She started walking. "What's your name?"

"Ally. Ally Dawson," I answered, quickening my pace to keep up with her.

"I'm Trish. You any good at algebra?"

I smiled, school was pretty much the only subject I was comfortable talking about.

"Kinda, yeah. I love algebra… But I also love science and English and Sp…"

"Woow." Trish stopped, and since I was walking very closely behind her, I bumped into her. She turned around.

"You… love.. algebra?"

"Yeah. And Spanish and…," I tried to continue, but she interrupted me again.

"You're nuts. But, also helpful. As a thank you, to me, for letting you walk with me, you have to sit next to me in algebra and help me with this homework that I was supposed to do weeks ago but haven't so I'll probably have to do today, yeah?"

I didn't answer, but simply nodded. I didn't mind sitting next to her and helping her. It would spare me the embarrassment of sitting alone, and helping her with school would give us something to talk about.

Trish pointed to a door.

"That's it. The teacher is a jerk, but I think he's kinda scared of me, so I'll keep you safe, okay?"

I smiled at her. I wasn't surprised if the teacher was scared of her, she was very scary. But if she'd decided to take me under her wings, I wasn't complaining.

I'd rather deal with her scary than with the scary of the unknown. She was the kind of girl that barked a lot but didn't necessarily bite.

Trish pushed open the door and I followed her through. Class had started and the teacher looked a little annoyed at our entrance.

"Trish Delarosa, you are always late and I…" he started with a loud voice, but when he saw me behind Trish, he stopped.

"You're the new girl," he stated.

"Yes, and I helped her find her way, so it's not my fault I'm late," Trish said, and she walked an empty table. When I didn't come, she waved at me.

"Ally? Helloo? You coming or are you gonna just stand there and stare?"

I shook up, realizing I had indeed been staring at the teacher, and hurried myself to Trish, plopping next to her.

"Okay then," the teacher said, and he turned around and continued with whatever he was talking about before we walked in.

At all my other school, the teacher of my first class had introduced me to the other students. Here, I guess Trish had done that for him.

I wasn't sure if that was a good thing.


	2. Chapter 2

I spent the next two weeks at Trish's side, and to my surprise, she wasn't actually that scary. At some moments, she was even nice.

But I did found out she didn't like teachers, school, learning, or anything that meant she HAD to do something. She only liked it if she had the choice to do it.

I also found out there was a red headed guy named Dez who she didn't like. She told stories about stupid things he did and he was in most of my classes, always around some blond guy whose name I didn't know.

Trish had never introduced me to them. And I was way too shy to go introduce myself.

"Ally, can I talk to you after class?"

I woke up from my train of thought. It was Mrs Drew, our English teacher.

I almost forgot I was in class. I never dreamt in class.

"Uhm, yeah.. Yeah," I answered softly.

I hadn't done anything wrong, had I? I was only extracted for a little while.

The rest of the hour seemed to last an eternity, but no matter how long it lasted, I couldn't think of anything Mrs Drew could possibly want to talk to me about.

I always did my homework, paid attention in class, and although I had only had one test, the grade was good.

"What do you think she wants?" Trish asked, when the bell rang and I was pushing my books into my bag.

"I have no idea," I muttered, "and I'm not sure if I want to find out."

Mrs Drew didn't talk until the very last person left the classroom, which was the blond boy who hang around Dez and never paid attention to anything anyone except Dez said.

"Am I in trouble?" I blurted out. I couldn't hold it in any longer.

"What?" Mrs Drew laughed. "You? No. Should you be?"

I shook my head.

"No, I wanted to talk to you about something. I don't know if you've heard about this already, but the school is organizing a play this year. It's going to be a modern version of Romeo and Juliet."

"I didn't know that," I said, softly, because I wasn't sure if she minded me interrupting her.

"Well, I have noticed you're a really good writer. Is it something that you enjoy?"

I smiled and nodded. It was, it had always been.

To be honest, I usually wrote songs. I loved writing songs. I never performed them, because being on stage was my biggest nightmare in the world, but I loved to write them.

Sometimes I wished someone could hear them, but I never dared to let anyone read them. They were too personal.

Sometimes I wrote stories, just to get around that. My stories weren't personal at all, they were just little drabbles, and I didn't mind if people read them.

Usually those people were my mom and my teachers, because I didn't have anyone else. Certainly not Trish. I considered her my friend, but she couldn't care less about my stories.

I didn't just make that up, she had literally said that when I told her I wrote.

"Ally, I love you, but I couldn't care less."

Well, at least she said she loved me. I'd never had anyone else than my family say that.

"Good. I thought you might."

Oh, yeah, play, teacher.

"Why are you asking me, if I may ask?" I couldn't stop my voice from shaking.

God, I hated how shy I was.

"Because we haven't written a script, and I've already asked around a little, but I haven't found anyone yet. I thought you might like to give it a try," Mrs Drew said.

I giggled. It was a nervous giggle.

"Me, writing a play? I don't think so. I can't write a play."

"If you don't want to, you don't have to. But please think about it, will you?"


	3. Chapter 3

Think about it I did. I didn't think about anything else.

It was only the next day when I decided to console Trish.

"I think you should do it," she said. "You want to do it, right?"

"Yeah, but I don't think I can."

I stared at my food, aimlessly playing with it.

"You definitely can. You can at least try, Ally. And if it doesn't work out, so be it. That's fine. But it could be fun."

It wasn't like Trish to call something school related fun.

I told her that.

"Well," she sighed, "maybe I'm just saying that because if you'll do it, I'll have you so I won't have to do it alone."

"Do what alone?" I asked, confused.

"Well, since I'm kinda failing everything, I need some extra credit. Mrs Drew said that if I would help out with the wardrobe for the play, she would give me some."

I shook my head. I knew Trish would never think it would be fun.

But to be honest, knowing that she'd be there made me a little less scared.

With her by my side, people wouldn't dare to be mean to me.

And it might actually be fun.

"Fine, I'll do it," I said happily. "But only for you, Trish."

* * *

"I hate this already," Trish said, when we walked through the doors of the auditorium two days later.

"I hate this so much."

I nudged her.

"Don't be such a buzz kill. You haven't even been here for two minutes… What am I saying, two seconds. Stop complaining. It won't be so bad."

She made some weird noise, indicating that she didn't think so, but stopped talking.

There were already a lot of people in the auditorium. Mrs Drew was in front of a group of them, and Trish and I quietly stood with them.

"Ah, then we're complete now! First of all, thank you so much for being here. Although," she laughed, "I know that most of you aren't here out of the goodness of their heart. But let's make this a fun after-school activity?"

"Those two words don't go together," a male voice said. It was the Dez's blond friend.

"Then make them go together, Mr Moon, because if you think I won't fail you, you're wrong," Mrs Drew said with a harsh voice.

The blond rolled his eyes, and I decided on the spot that I didn't like him. Mrs Drew was a nice teacher so if she didn't like him, he probably didn't deserve to be liked.

Although I had to admit he was kinda cute, with the blond floppy hair. He looked innocent but mischievous. Cheeky, was the right word for it.

It fitted him.

"Okay," Mrs Drew continued, "Let's talk about what everyone is supposed to do. First, I'd like to make clear there are no auditions." She looked a bit said, as she added: "We didn't have enough entries."

She pointed to me, and I immediately felt my cheeks flush red.

"This is Ally. As you know, this will be a modern version of Romeo and Juliet and Ally here will be writing the script, along with my help. I would also like you to work together with the two main actors, okay Ally?"

I nodded.

"Those two would be Mr Moon and Kira." She pointed at the blond and a girl next to him.

She was really pretty. She looked nice. I really hoped she was, because I didn't want to be working alone with him.

Mrs Drew went through some other people. More actors, people for décor, lights.

And then, wardrobe.

"Wardrobe will be the responsibility for Trish and Dez."

The moment the second name fell, I knew what was coming.

"No way! No!" She launched forward, either trying to run away from it all or grab Mrs Drew by the neck and murder her.

Whichever it was, I had to stop her.

"Trish!" I yelled, holding her arm. I managed to hold her back, but with trouble. It took me a good five minutes before she was completely calm.

By that time, she was sitting on the floor, repeatedly whispering "extra credit, extra credit, extra credit…" which still wasn't probably what she was supposed to do, but at least this way, nobody would get hurt.

I saw Dez and his friend come our way. Already positioning myself before Trish, so I could push her back if needed, I smiled at the red head.

"You must be Dez, hi," I squeaked, and I was surprised by my own voice. I sounded happy and not at all shy. I also sounded a little hysterical, but you can't have it all.

"I am Dez! You're Ally! I only know that because teach just said so. Not that I didn't, like, recognize you, it's just, we've never really met before," he rattled, while shaking my hand so excitedly I was shaking all over.

Trish grunted next to me, fell forward, and banged her head against the floor.

On purpose, of course.

"You can be such a drama queen," I whispered her way, but her drama had convinced me she probably wouldn't go over to murder soon, so I turned away from her.

"Where's Kira?" I asked the blond.

"Hi, I'm Austin, nice to meet you too," he smirked. Then he shrugged. "She couldn't be here today. But I'll help you."

My eyes widened. No way I was staying here with him alone. If Mrs Drew didn't like him, he wasn't nice, and I didn't do well with mean people.

Not when Trish wasn't there to be mean back to them.

"Uhm, no, no, you don't have to. I'll, I'll do it alone?" It came out more like a question.

Which might be why he raised an eyebrow and sat next to me.

"No, I'll help," he said.

"I don't need your help." I sounded harsh. I didn't want to sound harsh. But I didn't like it when people forced themselves on me.

"I don't care." His voice had lost the little spark in it. He didn't sound happy with a tat of mocking in it anymore. He sounded just as harsh as I had just done.

"I need to pass this class and the only way I can do that is if I convince Mrs Drew to pass me. And the only way to do that is to work on this play. Really work on it. So we're going to work on it."

The way his voice sounded withheld me from protesting again.

It couldn't be that bad, could it?


	4. Chapter 4

It was quite bad.

The first thing I wanted to talk about was the ending, and, well, we didn't really agree.

"You can't keep them alive! The fact that they die at the end makes this play awesome! Without it, it's just another stupid love story," Austin said.

"It's a story about two 13 year olds killing themselves because they are so in love with each other, even though they only met 2 days ago. I'm not killing them! It's stupid, weird, unrealistic, and… stupid!"

Dez and Trish had left to work on wardrobe. So at least I knew I wasn't the only one having a rough time.

"Then it's not a Romeo and Juliet story. Then it's Grease, or, I don't know. West side story. But not Romeo and Juliet."

I sighed. I just really wanted him to go away, so I could sit in silence and think about what I wanted to do with this story. I didn't even have a setting yet.

"Fine," I grunted. "Fine! I'll kill them, if you leave me alone now."

"What?" Austin looked at me, sheepishly.

"That's the deal I'm willing to make. I'll kill them at the end; but you have to go and leave me alone. I don't want your help. I want to write this alone."

I knew I was sounding like one of those mean girls I hated so much.

But my head was spinning and I couldn't concentrate on writing anything with him here, annoying me.

"Oh."

I looked up at Austin. He almost looked a bit… sad?

Which was weird. He was being forced to be here, right? He didn't want to be here.

"Don't worry," I said, my voice softening. "I'll tell Mrs Drew I sent you away to get something for me. I'll make sure you get your credit."

"Fine," he muttered, "I won't bother you anymore." And with that, he stood up and left.

I watched him walk away. Why wasn't he happy he could leave? I was making this easy on him!

So why did I feel so bad?

I tried to start writing, but I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He looked so hurt when I told him to go.

I didn't understand why, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I had hurt him, and that really hadn't been my intention.

After a good 15 minutes of chewing my pen, I decided that maybe I just needed to go sit somewhere else.

I was still sitting on the floor, on stage. And although there were many people around me, and nobody was paying attention to me, stages made me nervous and I couldn't focus.

I said goodbye to Trish, and told Mrs Drew I was going home to write.

She asked me if Austin had helped me.

I told her he had.

I didn't like lying to her, but after being so rude to him, it was the least I could do for him. Besides, I had promised him. I didn't break promises.

I didn't go home immediately. I felt restless and I didn't know why.

So I aimlessly wandered the halls of school.

Everybody was gone, the classrooms were empty.

I thought about my mom. I missed her. She didn't have good reception in Africa, so I couldn't call her.

She would contact me as soon as she could.

But I wished I could just call her and talk with her about my day. I could ask her what to do with the play.

She would know.

I didn't have that kind of relationship with my dad. I knew he loved me and he would try to help if I asked him, but he just never knew what to say.

The only thing I could really talk about with my dad was music. Not the writing part of it necessarily, but he owned a music store and when it came to instruments and chord progression and harmonies, he was your man.

He loved that stuff and always got so excited talking about it.

Just thinking about him, I could almost hear a guitar playing.

I stopped.

Wait, that wasn't in my head.

I focused on the music. It was indeed a guitar, and someone was playing a song.

It wasn't a song I knew, but it was really good.

Getting excited, I darted in the direction of the sound.

This person was a really good guitar player. And if I was right and this was an original song, then maybe this person wrote too.

That would make them perfect.

Maybe I could even get a new friend out of this!

I spotted a room with the lights still on. That was the music room.

Right before the door, I stopped and took a deep breath.

This could be an opportunity for another friend, apart from Trish.

Right when I wanted to open the door, a voice started singing along to the melody.

The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn't place it.

I stood there for a couple of seconds, just listening.

_There's a song about freedom, searching for new love,  
How ignorance is bliss.  
I know I'm not the only fool who has been hurt just like this  
Songs about making honest mistakes,  
and heartaches I've gone through.  
Then I'll forgive, I won't have to forget all the good things about you._

I slowly opened the door.

The person was turned with his back to the door and didn't hear me come in.

But I didn't need to see his face to recognize him.

For a second, I couldn't decide if I should run away or stay.

But his voice was so mesmerizing, and I couldn't help but be curious, so I didn't move.

_It's alright, this goodbye.  
Won't hurt me for too long, I'll be fine on my own  
It'll take some time, but I know that I  
I can find where I belong,  
And I'll find it in a song._

I noticed I was holding my breath and slowly let it go.

Silence fell that same moment.

Of course that would happen to me. A loud puff sounded like a gunshot in the newfound silence of the room, and Austin turned around, his eyes as big as saucers.

"For God's sake Ally! You scared the crap out of me!" he scolded.

Only now did I notice he had the guitar up, as if he was ready to hit me with it.

He saw me stare at it and slowly lowered it, putting in on his lap.

"I'm not going to hit you," he said so softly it was almost whispering.

"I didn't think you…" I started, but he shook his head.

"Don't lie. You're not good at it."

He was right about that. I felt my cheeks flush deep red and started to back away.

"I'm sorry…" I stuttered.

"No, wait, Ally…!" I could hear him call after me, but I was already out the door.

I ran until I was outside, where I finally stopped. It was raining.

How appropriate.

"I just made that even more awkward then it already was," I said, out loud, to no one in particular.

I could already feel the rain slipping down my neck into my coat, so I started walking home.

These were the moments I hated not having a license.

But maybe it was for the better. Because this way, my red cheeks were explained by walking fast in the rain, so I didn't have to think of a lie for if my dad were to ask if something happened.

Not that he would, probably, but I always thought it was better to be safe than sorry.

* * *

**Song: In A Song by Hunter Hayes**


	5. Chapter 5

I was already completely drained when I got to the diner, which marked the halfway point of my journey home.

Just when I was contemplating going into the diner until the rain had stopped, a car pulled up next to me and stopped.

My heart skipped a beat.

This could be the moment I got kidnapped or murdered or…

The window opened, and seeing the familiar person that was behind the wheel didn't necessarily make me feel very relieved.

"Ally? You're soaking wet! Come on, get in. I'll give you a lift."

"I'm fine, Austin," I answered. "I'd rather walk another two hours through this weather then get in the car with you and have those 5 minutes of extreme awkwardness."

Of course I only added that last sentence in my head and not in real life.

Austin didn't give up that easily.

"Ally…" He waited until I looked up at him. "I don't know what I ever did to make you hate me so much, but I promise I'm not trying to murder you. I'm just trying to give you a lift home. Look at you; you look like a drowned puppy."

"I don't hate you," I interrupted.

"Well, strongly dislike then. Hey, you're going to get sick and then it's going to be my fault. Come on, I have to go that way anyway."

Although he sounded really nice, I uncertainly shook my head.

"Fine," he grunted. "Suit yourself, then."

Just when he started to roll the window back up, a loud bang shook the sky.

Great, thunder.

I looked over at Austin. He raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything.

I sighed. I didn't want to be hit with lightning.

"Okay, I would like a ride, thanks" I said, swallowing my pride.

Austin motioned with his head to get in the car and so I did.

I shook my hair like a dog and couldn't help but laugh when Austin got some water on him and I saw the terror in his eyes.

"It's only water. You're not made of sugar, are you?"

"No," he smirked, "You are made of sugar. Sugar and sparkles. I'm made of rock and roll."

I laughed, and to my own surprise, it was a genuine laugh this time, not a nervous one.

"So, where do you live?" he asked.

Not expecting his question, I didn't immediately answer.

"I'm not trying to rob your house, Ally, I just have to know where to drop you of," he added, sounding frustrated.

I told him where I lived.

"Isn't that the music store?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's my dad's store. I work there after school," I answered.

"Cool."

Silence fell and I tried to sink away in my chair, feeling shy and uncomfortable and not knowing what to say.

It was Austin that broke the silence, in a way I wasn't expecting at all.

"I'm sorry."

"What?" Surprised, I turned to look at him.

"For what?"

"For scaring you back at school. You just surprised me. I wasn't going to hit you with the guitar, I promise."

I could feel myself blushing again.

I really didn't think he was going to hit me. Or maybe I did, but only for a second.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that," I said.

He looked over at me for a second and smiled, before returning his eyes to the road again.

When the car stopped, I couldn't help but feel obligated to ask him to come in.

To my surprise and, to my dismay, he actually said yes.

* * *

My dad was standing behind the counter at Sonic Boom, and he waved enthusiastically when we came in.

"Hey, you're here again! I haven't seen you in so long!" he called out.

Just when I wanted to ask him what the hell he was talking about, that he had seen me this morning, Austin started to talk.

"Hello mister Dawson! Yeah, I haven't been around here in a while." He walked to the counter and leaned on it.

Why did he know my dad?

While he continued talking to my dad, I studied him.

His hair was a bit wet from the walk from his car to the front door, and so was his black leather jacket.

His jeans were ripped and looked as if they had long had their best time, and so did his converse.

Normally I hated it when guys looked as if they had pulled their clothes out of the dumpster, but with him, it didn't really bother me.

He could pull it off.

"Ally, why don't you go get something to drink for Austin here?" my dad interrupted my thoughts.

When I looked up at them, I saw Austin smirking at me.

He had clearly noticed that I had been staring at him. Just great.

Blushing, again, I ran upstairs to the practise room.

I had my little piano here to write my songs, but there was also a fridge for employees to use.

Days could really have their own way of ending up. When I started this afternoon arguing with Austin about the death of Romeo and Juliet, I wasn't expecting him to end up in my home at the end of the day.

Yes, I did say home. Sonic boom was more my home than home was. Sometimes, I even slept here, on the couch in the practise room.

I walked down stairs with the drinks, finding Austin fiddling around on an electric guitar that my dad had just added to his personal collection and that he really liked.

I sighed. Why did Austin have to be such a good musician? I loved people that were musicians. I always made me want to be friends with them.

And now I wasn't sure what I wanted Austin to be anymore.

"How do you know Austin?" my dad asked.

"School," Austin and I said simultaneously.

"I used to come here all the time. Your dad sold me some good stuff," Austin then added, talking to me, and when he saw my frown, he laughed: "Guitars, Ally. Not drugs or anything."

"I didn't th…"

"Of course you didn't." He paused. "Your dad just told me about your song writing," he said.

And just like that, I could feel all the blood drain from my face, and my heart dropped down my stomach.

"You know what I was thinking?" he continued.

I really didn't want to know.

"We should make this play a musical!"


	6. Chapter 6

"No."

"But it would be so much cooler than just a play!"

"No."

"But your dad said you love writing songs!"

"I do. But no."

"But…"

"Austin," I hissed at him, putting my plate on the lunch table with a lot of aggression, "I said no."

Austin sat down opposite of me, letting his chin rest in his hands and putting his lower lip out, making him look like a sad puppy. His big, brown eyes didn't help that.

It had been a week since Austin got the crazy idea to write a musical instead of a play.

Although I had been very clear since the beginning that there was no way of it happening, he had been following me around all week, never dropping the subject.

"But it would be so cool!"

"No," I repeated.

"I actually think it would be a good idea," said Trish, who was sitting next to me.

I frowned at her.

"No."

The look in my eyes spoke more clearly than a thousand words ever could and knowing how irritated I could get, Trish instantely dropped the subject.

"Sorry Austin," Trish muttered, "I tried."

Austin and Trish had become friends over the past week. She really liked how outgoing and quirky he was, he liked her sass.

Trish liked him so much, she even allowed Dez to sit with us at lunch, just so Austin would sit with us too.

I still wasn't sure about Austin. He had been nothing but nice to me, although he was sometimes a little pushy and overly excited, like a puppy, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I couldn't trust him.

I didn't understand how someone as nice and, not to mention, handsome, didn't have more friends than just Dez.

Of course he had girls floating around him at all times, who, by the way, didn't like him hanging out with us, but other than that, it seemed that every student avoided him at all costs and there wasn't one teacher that liked him.

Something must be up with him, I just hadn't found out yet.

So I had been treating him with all the civility in the world, but I wasn't sure if I considered him a friend.

I did really like Dez though. He wasn't the brightest bulb in the bunch, but he was funny and he meant well.

I spent the rest of lunch time jotting down ideas for the play.

At this time, I had the story set in high school. It was turning out a bit like a mix between Grease and Romeo and Juliet, but I had decided to turn it around, so I'd made the guy the dorky nerdy one and the girl the beautiful one, that was considered too good to be with him. Their friends would play the roles of the Capulets and Montagues, not approving of their relationship and threatening to shut them out.

The thing was, I couldn't find something to connect the two.

Which was the only reason I had considered the musical idea.

Then, music could be their secret, they could bond over that, but obviously he was too shy to tell people he played and she thought it would ruin her reputation.

But then I had to tell everyone that I wrote songs.

What if they weren't good enough?

I couldn't say that I hadn't looked through my songbook, looking for songs that fitted the musical, but I hadn't found any.

They were all way to personal to get out.

"You coming?" Dez's voice put me back to earth.

"Where to?" I asked, not completely sure how long I'd been dreaming for.

"English?"

"Oh… yeah."

I looked around and noticed Austin wasn't here anymore.

When we got to class, I saw why. He was talking to Mrs Drew.

Since when did Austin have conversations with teachers? I sighed. He must've done something wrong.

When we walked in, he looked startled, and almost ran to his seat in the back of the class.

I didn't question it.

But when Mrs Drew stopped me after class, and Austin literally ran passed me to get out of class, I started to get suspicious.

What did he do now?

"Austin told me you were thinking about turning the play into a musical?" Mrs Drew said.

"Austin told you what?" I asked stiffly.

I felt anger boil up inside me.

That son of a…

"I think that would be a great idea! Let's do it."

"Let's.. Wait, what?" I exclaimed.

No no no no no no no no no no no no no.

"Yes!"

I wanted to tell her no. I wanted to tell her that it wasn't happening, that Austin was an idiot, that there was no way…

But I couldn't say no to a teacher, that was disrespectful.

So I didn't say anything, and stormed out of the room.

I couldn't tell Mrs Drew what I was thinking, but I could definitely tell Austin.

And boy, was I about to tell him.

* * *

Eventually I had to bribe Dez to tell me where Austin had gone.

He didn't want to tell me because Austin had told him not to, but when I told him I would send Trish his way, I got an answer very quickly.

"I can't believe you!" I yelled, storming into the music room.

Austin jumped up from the piano where he was sitting at and threw his hands up in defence.

"Before you kill me, you should know that I only did this because your songs are really good!"

For a moment I was so confused that I forgot how angry I was.

"They are? Wait.. What… How did you…"

I followed his eyes to the left, and what I saw there was the final straw.

"YOU STOLE MY SONGBOOK?" I screamed.

My songbook! The book I wrote my songs in… The book that no one, NO ONE, was allowed to touch!

"Well, technically," Austin said weakly, "I borrowed it.. I just needed to know if your songs were any good before I would tell Mrs Drew…"

"YOU STOLE MY SONGBOOK!"

I grabbed it from the piano. If there was anything in reach that I could throw at him, I would've, but I couldn't find something quick enough.

So I stuck to yelling.

"Not only did you go behind my back to tell a teacher about my song writing, which she wasn't supposed to know about, just so you could turn this into a stupid musical, which is something I repeatedly told you I didn't want, but you stole from me, and not just something, you stole my songbook! No one is allowed to touch my songbook! And you read them? You read my songs! No one is supposed to read those! Those are mine, _mine_, and you weren't… you…."

Tears started welling up in my eyes. I cursed myself for crying, I didn't want him to see me cry, but I couldn't stop them from spilling.

Sniffing, my voice breaking more with every word, I continued ranting.

"And now I have to write stupid songs for this stupid musical and everyone is going to know and everybody is going to laugh at me and then they're going to hate me and I'm…."

Now, I had to stop talking, because I was almost suffocating from crying and talking and not breathing.

"Ally…" Austin said softly, stepping towards me.

"No!" I screeched. "No, you've done enough! Would you just _leave me alone_? Please, just… Go away…"

And with that, I turned around and ran, out of the music room, out of school, all the way home, to the practise room, where I sat in a corner, hugging my songbook, and cried my eyes out.


	7. Chapter 7

I didn't go to school the next day. Or the day after that.

I just didn't know what to do.

I didn't want to write a musical. I could write a play, but I couldn't write the songs.

At first, I didn't know why it scared me so much, but then I realised that these songs, they were my everything.

They were what I wanted to do. They were what I loved. They were my babies.

And if everybody would hear them, there would be people that hated them. There always would be.

And hating my songs meant hating me.

I was already so scared, too scared to ever perform them myself, so I had decided I would become a songwriter for other people.

But nobody could ever know they were mine, because that would make me so vulnerable.

And if I would do this and everyone would hate it, I would never have the confidence to continue to dream about being a songwriter, I knew that.

I just wasn't ready to give up on that dream yet.

I played a couple notes on the piano, just aimlessly letting my fingers run over the keys.

Being a writer was such a difficult thing to do, if you cared so much about what people thought, like I did.

You couldn't develop elephant skin. You had to be effected by everything, in order to write good songs.

But if those things were negative, they would break you. And in the end, it felt like you were…gone, almost.

Sometimes, I just felt like I didn't want to be like that, so… independent.

Sometimes I wished there was someone that could decide how I behaved. That I could be another person, someone not responsible, someone brave.

I continued pressing keys, and noticed that they were starting to form a patron.

I realised that while I was thinking about not wanting to write songs, I was writing a song.

I sighed.

Why couldn't Austin be the writer? Why couldn't he write the songs for the stupid musical? Or at least help me?

_Why don't you be the writer_

I started singing, and then, words just started tumbling out.

It was the fastest song I've ever written.

_Why don't you be the artist, and make me out of clay,  
Why don't you be the writer, and decide the words I say.  
Because I'd rather pretend, I'll still be here in the end.  
Only it's too hard to ask, why won't you try to help me?_

_You wait, I wait, casting shadows, interrupted…  
You wait, I wait…_

A squeak of the door silenced me.

I didn't dare to look around.

"I know you don't want me here," Austin said.

I'd known it was him, even without looking. It was like I had developed a sixth sense, where I could feel his presence.

I kept my eyes on the keys, not saying anything.

Right now, the only thing I wanted was that he did not hear me sing.

Please dear God let him not have heard me sing.

I heard footsteps, he was approaching me. Without saying anything, he sat next to me on the piano bench, so close he was touching me.

"I didn't know, Ally," he said softly, pressing a couple keys on the piano.

I was playing with my fingers, my hands in my lap, trying my best to not look at him.

When he didn't continue, I couldn't help but watch his fingers as they floated over the keys.

He was playing something very familiar.

"If I'd known that you didn't want anyone to know, that it meant so much to you, I really wouldn't have said anything. I promise you Ally, I wouldn't have done it."

* * *

*Austins POV*

I was aware of how pleading my voice sounded, but I didn't really care.

I was telling the truth and she needed to know that. She needed to know that I never meant to hurt her.

I thought I was helping her. I thought she wanted to have people hear her songs, seeing how good they were.

I looked at her. She was still doing her absolute best to avoid my gaze, but I noticed that she had now moved her focus from her own hands to mine.

She was watching me play.

I started playing a song I knew she would know.

"I… Uhm.. I know you're angry. And you have every right to be. But I just need you to know that I didn't want to hurt you. I really didn't."

Suddenly, she talked.

"What if they hate them?"

Her voice was shaking, her bottom lip trembling.

No, please don't let her cry.

Seeing her cry a couple of days ago had been so hard. Especially since I was the reason for her tears.

I had wanted to hug her, to hold her, to make her feel better, but all I could do was leave her alone, like she asked.

But now, I was here and she wasn't asking me to leave.

I stopped playing and turned to her.

"They won't hate them! Your songs are amazing Ally. Nobody is going to hate them. They're going to love them."

A little unsure, I reached for her hands, which were still lying in her lap, expecting her to pull them away or maybe even slap me.

She didn't pull them away and she didn't slap me.

"And if they don't love them, I will have them murdered," I joked, hoping that was the right way to go.

It was. She smiled. A little smile, but a smile nonetheless.

I let go of her hands and continued playing the piano. "You know," I began carefully, "if you want me to, I can help you. I mean, I've never written songs before, but I'm sure I can try to help you. You know, unless you want me to…" I paused a second, "go."

"Don't go," she said softly. She pointed at the songbook. "I wrote something. Just a chorus. I thought it could be a song for Kira's character. Maybe you could help me finish it."

I reached for the book, but stopped before touching it.

"Are you sure I can…?"

She giggled.

It sounded like music to my ears, especially after the crying.

"Yeah, you can."

I started reading.

_Why don't you be the artist…_

"No, not that one!" She quickly reached out and skipped a page.

When she touched my hand in the process, she shot back, blushing vigorously.

It was cute.

I started playing the song in the book, singing it softly to myself.

_It's the way you walk, the way you talk,  
the way you make me feel inside.  
It's in your smile, it's in your eyes,  
I don't wanna wait for tonight._

_So I'm daydreaming, with my chin in the palm of my hands,  
about you, you, and only you  
got me daydreaming_

I stopped and looked at her.

"I think it's good! Where were you going to put this?"

She started explaining how she wanted it to fit in the storyline. The longer she talked, the more excited she seemed to become.

I didn't really listen. I just watched her, the sparkle in her eyes, how her lips moved, her curls bouncing of her shoulder.

She stopped talking when she spotted me looking at her.

"Why are you staring at me?" she smiled.

"Because you're beautiful."

It rolled out before I could stop it. Because she was. God, she was.

She smiled again, a small, almost mocking smile.

She didn't believe me.

"No, I'm not," she said. But it wasn't like how girls usually denied when you gave them a compliment.

She didn't say that because she wanted me to repeat myself, she said it because she believed it wasn't true.

She scribbled something in her songbook, continuing with the song. Moving on.

Normally, I had a rule. Never give the same compliment twice.

I believed in telling people what you liked about them. Tell them everything you like. But I also believed in only ever saying it once.

If they don't accept your compliment, then fine. Never repeat yourself. Never tell them again, simply because they like hearing you say it.

"You are. You're beautiful," I repeated myself.

I couldn't stick to my rule. Not with Ally. Because she wasn't like those girls I had experience with. She didn't want me to say it again, on the contrary, I could tell that she didn't want me to say it at all.

Because she thought I was lying.

But I wasn't, and I had to make sure she knew.

I saw her cheeks flush red. She stopped writing, but she didn't look at me.

"I'm not just saying that, I'm saying it because it's true and you need to hear it. Maybe you don't want to hear it from me," I added, because I knew I was making her uncomfortable, "but since I'm the only one here, you're going to have to."

I paused, giving her the chance to say something, but she didn't.

"Do you believe me?" I asked softly.

She finally looked up at me. She smiled, but her eyes didn't participate.

She didn't believe me.

"Thank you, for saying that," she said, and then she turned to the book again.

"Now, how about changing this chord in the bridge and…"

* * *

**Songs: The Writer by Ellie Goulding and Daydreaming by Ariana Grande**


	8. Chapter 8

I woke up from the sun falling on my face, and I opened my eyes with trouble.

I wanted to lift my hand to shield myself from the burning light, but I couldn't move it.

Why couldn't I move it?

It took a couple of seconds for my body to completely wake up, and when I finally regained my senses, I realised my hand wasn't the only thing that was weighted down.

I realised I was sitting on the couch in the practise room and I looked down.

Austin was laying there, his head in my lap, his eyes closed and his mouth slightly opened. His blond hair looked like it had had a fight with a hurricane and lost, flopping everywhere.

But he still looked cute, of course.

He had one of my hands wrapped in his, pulling it into his body like he was holding a teddy bear, and my other hand was stuck under the pillow his head was resting on.

My feet were tucked under me, but since they had not only my weight to support but also Austin's, I couldn't feel anything in them.

I slowly removed my hands, trying not to wake him, but then realised there was no way I was getting out from under him without him waking up.

I didn't want to wake him up, so I just sat there for a couple of minutes, trying to remember what had happened yesterday.

Austin and I had spent the entire day writing songs for the play –sorry, musical- and having him there actually helped me write, even though he didn't really contribute anything.

You could tell he didn't write songs. He had just spent his time playing around on the piano and the guitar, and then why I needed the piano, he would give it to me and watch me play.

Sometimes he would start playing with me, because he picked up what I was playing very quickly, and then sometimes our fingers would touch and I would pull my hand away and blush.

But other than those moments, it wasn't awkward.

Whenever I asked him what he thought of something, he would always say "good" or "awesome".

I had found out that if he said "good", he meant "it sucks but I won't tell you that" and if he said "awesome" he really liked it.

At the end of the night, when he had said he had to go, I had begged him to stay a little longer, because I was trying to write a guitar part into a song and I didn't play guitar so I needed him.

"I should just teach how to play guitar," he had said.

He had gone to sit next to me on the couch, had given me the guitar and watched me stumble around for a little while, until he had smirked and said: "Wow, you really can't play, can you?"

"No," I'd muttered, and right when I wanted to put the guitar away, he had slipped a little behind me so he could place his hand over mine and guide my fingers over the strings on the neck of the guitar.

When I messed up the other hand as well, not knowing when to go up or down the strings, messing up the rhythem, he had wrapped his other arm around me so he could guide that hand as well.

It was a good thing I was so small: I actually fitted right in his arms.

That was the last thing I could remember.

Especially the tingly feeling on my skin where his skin touched mine, and the butterflies in my stomach when he had whispered in my ear "You're getting the hang of it", when the warmth of his breath had sent shivers all the way down my spine.

I must've fallen asleep at some point, and obviously, so did he.

I felt his body stir in my lap and when I looked down at his face again, his eyes were slightly open en a lazy smile was spread over his face.

"Morning," he whispered.

"Hi," I answered, also whispering.

"Why are we whispering?"

He smiled. "I don't know."

He slowly pushed himself up, and I quickly pulled my legs out from under me.

I had woken up, but my legs were still fast asleep.

It was silent for a minute or two, before Austin broke it.

"Ally?"

"Hmmm?"

"I have a question about the play."

I looked at him, expecting him to make a joke, but he seemed completely serious.

"I was wondering… When are they going to be together?"

"You and Kira?"

"No, Jake and Lily," he corrected me, using the characters' names.

"I'm not sure yet, I think somewhere in the middle? I can't keep it till the end, because someone made me kill them," I joked, nudging him with my arm.

To my surprise, he didn't laugh or even smile.

I turned to him. His seriousness scared me a little.

This wasn't just about the play, was it? He didn't really care about the play. He wouldn't be so serious about it.

"Cause, you know, I figured… If they become friends first, like we have decided now… Then maybe, like, he would be scared to make a move because he wouldn't want to ruin that friendship."

He started at me so intently that I started to feel a little uncomfortable.

"Maybe I'll let Lily be the one to make the first move. She is the confident one, remember?"

"Still, then. When do you think she… Lily…would do that?"

"I don't know, Austin." I wasn't sure what he wanted from me.

"But, imagine something happened that wouldn't normally happen between two friends and now I wanted…Jake, I mean, wanted to ask her, you know, Lily, out but then he wasn't sure if he should because he doesn't know if it means something to her and he doesn't want to ruin their friendship that is just started to happen but already means a lot to him and…"

"You're rambling," I interrupted, "and nothing happens in the play that doesn't normally happen between two friends. Remember, it's a story about two teenagers who meet and become friends when they're not supposed to and then within two days decide they're in love and the only way to be together in to kill themselves, okay? It's not really a story based on reason, or anything, it doesn't have to make sense."

I stood up. "You're thinking about it too much. Don't wreck that pretty little brain of yours, buddy."

He didn't press it. But when he left later that morning, I couldn't help but wonder what the hell he was talking about.


	9. Chapter 9

The next day, during lunch time, Trish and I finally had some time to catch up.

"So this whole wardrobe thing is driving me insane! I need Kira to have some fittings with her but she's never available."

Trish made a funny face. "If you ask me, she just doesn't care about the whole thing."

"Well, to be fair, neither do you," I laughed. "Besides, she was one of the very few people that didn't have to be there, so obviously, she cares."

"Oh Ally," Trish sighed, "you know she's only there because she has a crush on Austin, right? She only volunteered to be the main female when she heard he had to be the main male. She couldn't care less about the stupid play, she just wants a boyfriend out of it."

"Oh." I wasn't sure why that made me feel a bit uneasy, like my stomach did a weird turn and not in a good way.

Maybe it was just because I didn't like to be the last to find things out.

"Well, anyway, I haven't seen Kira either. I've been writing with Austin, mainly. Which is cool. He is nice, you know."

Trish giggled.

"I know."

"I don't know why all the teachers hate him."

"Really, you don't?" Trish looked surprised. "I figured he would've told you by now."

"He didn't." I waited for her to tell me.

She did.

"He has really changed a lot, the past year. First, he was super nice and incredibily popular. Everyone adored him. Last year, he turned incredibly moody all the time. He disrespected the teachers, like, in a way that even I wouldn't dare, and he never did his homework. He pushed all his friends away, even Dez, but they made up soon enough. Nobody knows why he changed though."

"That's weird."

"Yeah. I've never asked him about because he must have had his reasons. Something happened that year. If he doesn't want to talk about it, I won't push him. But yeah, that's why the teachers don't particularly like him. They haven't forgiven him, even though he's turned it around. I guess the other students just remember the bad Austin too well to be friends with him again."

She giggled. "Of course the girls don't really give a damn, he's got them all wrapped around his finger. But he doesn't usually hang with them either, though."

I thought about that for a second, wondering if I should ask Austin about it or just leave it be.

Eventually Trish was bored with my thinking and continued to talk about the play.

"Did Mrs Drew read your script already?"

"Yeah, I've let her read some of the parts, which she was really excited about. The story is not the hard thing, it's the music that's hard to write. I don't know, it just doesn't work."

Trish stood up, throwing the remainder of her food, that she had previously exclaimed to be "cat barf", in the bin.

"I think you're just over thinking it, Ally. It's just a stupid love story, after all. All they need to do is say yes."

She gave me a final wave and walked off.

I smiled. Yeah, it was just a love story.

* * *

I strummed the guitar. Okay, I could do this. Austin taught me these chords.

I carefully placed my fingers where they were supposed to be. With a final look to the door of the music room, to make sure it was closed and nobody was here, even though they wouldn't be after school hours, I started singing.

_Romeo take me, somewhere we can be alone,  
I'll be waiting, all that's left to do is run,  
You'll be the prince, and I'll be the princess,  
baby just say yes._

_So I sneak out to the garden to see you,  
we keep quiet cause we're dead if they knew  
So close your eyes, escape this town for a little while._

The door opened and Austin came in. I stopped, but when he muttered a soft "Continue", I shut my eyes, pretended he wasn't there, and sang.

_Romeo, save me, they're trying to tell me how to feel  
This love is difficult, but it's real  
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess  
It's a love story, baby just say yes._

Normally, singing in front of anyone would make my feel so nauseous I had to stop, but somehow, I managed to finish the last chorus.

When I stopped, he started clapping.

"You're playing guitar! I'm so proud of you!"

I smiled. For some reason, that little sentence made me so happy.

"I was actually thinking to use this song as the song before they die. You know, because it's a very cheesy and almost childlike song, but also very happy. It kinda gives the right mood to two teens killing themselves because they don't like to hear their friends say mean things, don't you think?"

He smirked.

"You really don't like that ending, do you?"

I shook my head.

"No. I like happy endings."

* * *

Seeing Kira and Austin perform that song a couple days later made me feel really proud. I had been right, it was the perfect ending.

In this version, Jake and Lily decided that heaven was the only place they would be able to be together without being judged, so they killed themselves.

Or well, Mrs Drew wouldn't let me actually write that into the script, so we just see them falling on the floor hand in hand before the curtains close.

I had just given Mrs Drew the final script. It was a little surreal, knowing that the musical, the real performance of it, was only a couple of days away.

Between rehearsals, I had gotten used to hearing other people sing my songs. Everyone had been really lovely about them, so I wasn't too nervous.

But maybe that would come later.

When Austin and Kira threw themselves to the ground dramatically, I applauded, and so did everyone else.

"I think we all did a very good job," Dez said, and he sounded a little emotional.

Well, it was the first time we had seen the full performance of the show.

And not too many things had gone wrong.

"We did, didn't we?" Trish nodded, and I couldn't help but smile at the fact that she was finally able to have a normal conversation with Dez.

Kira and Austin came up to us.

"You guys were amazing," I told them.

"Thanks Ally! Only because of your songs," Kira beamed. "They are so cool. Don't you want to perform them yourself?"

My eyes widened. "Uhm, no, no…I don't…sing."

Austin raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything.

I realised I had never really told him about my stage fright. He didn't know that he was the only person in the world, except for my mom and dad, to have heard me sing.

We talked for a couple of minutes before Kira said goodbye and Dez and Trish started to leave. I wanted to follow them, but Austin grabbed my arm and held me back.

"What do you mean, you don't sing?" he asked.

I sighed. I knew I had to have this conversation with him, but I didn't really want to.

I sat down in one of the chairs. For a school auditorium, they were really comfortable chairs.

Austin sat down next to me, waiting for me to talk.

I stared at the stage. It was so big, especially from here.

"I don't sing. For people. I sing in my bedroom, when I'm sure nobody can hear me. I sing _only_ when I'm sure nobody can hear me. If I have to sing in front of people, or even just thinking about it…" I paused, a shiver crept down my spine. "then I get nauseous and I feel lightheaded and everything goes wrong."

"So you have stage fright? But you sang for me…" Austin said, confused.

"Yeah, and believe it or not, that was really hard for me. You're the only one who has actually ever heard me sing."

I felt his hand on my arm, and I shivered again. But not because of fear, this time.

"Really?"

"Well, yeah, except my parents. They hear me when I'm singing. But I always make sure there is at least a closed door between us. I don't want to look at them when I sing."

I looked up at him and smiled at him, noticing he looked a bit sad.

"Don't look so sad, Austin. It's fine. It's something I've learned to live with. I like the writing part of it more anyway."

He smiled back at me, but still looked a bit upset.

"I don't know, Als. I just… You have such an amazing voice. And performing is so awesome, I wish you could experience that."

I pretended to not notice my heart skip a beat at the nickname. I had never had a nickname.

"It's fine. You love performing, I love writing. You can't write, I can't perform. We make a good team."

I nudged him with my elbow.

"Come on, let's go grab some food, you must be starving after all that performing."

While I walked away, I could hear his voice behind me.

"We really do make a good team, don't we?"

* * *

**Song: Love Story by Taylor Swift**


	10. Chapter 10

Finally, it was time for dress-rehearsal.

It was the final time I would hear my songs being sung without a big audience, and the nerves were starting to heat up.

"Trish!" Austin called. "This doesn't fit, not even a little bit!"

He was standing next to me, trying to get into his costume. The shirt he was trying to fit in was at least two sizes too small, which caused his biceps to almost burst through the fabric, and his abs were exposed just a little bit.

I caught myself staring and quickly looked up. Luckily, Austin hadn't seen me.

That would've been embarrassing.

"That's because that's not your shirt, Austin, it's supposed to be for Dallas," Trish answered, rolling her eyes.

"Dallas!" she yelled.

A boy on the other side of the auditorium looked up. I had noticed him before, he was playing one of Jake's best friends, and he was kinda cute.

He started running towards the stage.

Austin pulled off the shirt, but I made sure to keep my eyes on Dallas this time.

Even when Austin neglected to put on another shirt.

"Thanks man, I must've left it somewhere," Dallas said, taking the shirt from Austin.

"Let's find you another shirt, one that is in fact, yours," Trish said, taking Austin by the hand and pulling him away from me.

When she was behind Dallas, she turned around and winked at me.

Only then did it daunt on me what she was doing; she was giving me some alone-time with Dallas.

"Hi, you're Ally, right?" he asked.

I nodded, feeling unable to say anything, then scolded myself for not being able to have a normal conversation with an attractive boy.

"Great job on the musical, really. I didn't want to be part of it at first, but I don't really mind now," he smiled at me.

_Come on Ally, say something! Ask something!_

"So why are you?"

"Huh?"

I took a deep breath, preparing myself to form an actual sentence this time.

"So why are you a part of it, if you didn't want to be?"

_Good job._

"When Mrs Drew asked me, I couldn't say no to her. It always feels so disrespectful," he said.

I smiled. Bonus point for Dallas, right there.

We continued talking and after a little while, I felt myself relax. Dallas was really nice and I felt comfortable talking to him, which was honestly the first time I felt comfortable talking to a handsome boy.

Well, except if you counted Austin, of course. But I'd never seen Austin as more than just a friend, I'd never seen him as a potential date, so he didn't really count.

"Hey, Ally, can I ask you something?" Dallas said, suddenly acting a little nervous.

"You kinda just did," I joked.

He laughed.

Which was also the first time an attractive boy thought I was funny, apart from Austin. I had a weird sense of humour.

"Well, can I ask you another thing?"

"Of course," I said, deciding against making the "you already just did again" joke.

"I was thinking if you maybe want to go out for a drink with me, after this? Or maybe even dinner if you're hungry? To celebrate, you know, the musical."

I knew that that question should've made me the happiest girl in the world.

Which is why it confused me that I found myself actually thinking about it.

This guy was nice, cute, and into me. Me! Obviously I shouldn't have to even think about it.

"I would love to," I answered with a smile, forcing myself to feel happier than I actually did.

Just then, I felt an arm sliding around my waist.

"She would love too, but she can't," a voice growled.

Yes, growled.

"We have plans," he continued.

And I knew I should say we didn't. I knew I should grab Dallas and tell him I'd see him after the show, I knew I should scream and kick Austin, I knew I shouldn't let him lead me away from the cute boy that wanted to go out with me.

But I didn't do any of those things. I just let him take me away, his arm around my waist, pushing me away from Dallas.

Only when we were out of side, behind the safety of the curtains, I pushed him away.

"What the hell was that for?" I asked, but I didn't even sound really angry.

Because I wasn't. And I didn't know why not.

"I got you out," he said matter-of-factly, like it was no big deal.

"Oh wow, my saviour, getting me out of a date with a really cute guy," I said, sarcasm dripping from my voice.

He turned around, an eyebrow cocked.

"You don't want to go on a date with that guy, Als. Believe me."

"And why would I not?" Only now, I could feel myself getting angry.

He had no right at all to decide who I would hang out with.

"I…" Austin started, but he didn't finish his sentence.

I waited, for what felt like ages, but it became clear he wasn't going to answer.

"Well, thanks for that, Austin. Thank you very much from saving me from the first actual date I would ever be taken on."

And I stomped away.

* * *

"Why would he do that?" I asked Trish. Softly, of course, because the play had already started.

I knew I should be watching and enjoying this last rehearsal, but I didn't really care about the play at the moment.

"Because he doesn't want you to go out with Dallas," Trish answered, as if it was the most obvious answer ever.

"But why?" I whined. "He's nice, isn't he? He thought I was funny!"

"So does Austin."

I frowned at her.

"What you just said has nothing to do with what I just said."

"Oh of course it does," Trish sighed.

"He likes you, Ally, he is just jealous because Dallas has the balls to ask you out and he doesn't. If you like Dallas, you go tell Austin to shove it and tell Dallas you're free."

I stared at the stage, where Kira was just confessing her love to Austin.

Austin didn't like me. Maybe in a friendship way. Maybe in a "she's like my sister" way. Maybe that was it? Maybe he was just a protective guy.

But I already knew I wouldn't take Trish's advice.

I wouldn't tell Dallas I was free, that was way too nerve wrecking. Hell, saying yes was almost too nerve wrecking!

And I wouldn't tell Austin to shove it, either. I knew I was supposed to be mad at him, but it was already over.

I just couldn't stay mad at that boy and I really wished I knew why.

I saw Dallas come on stage while Kira walked of. This was the part that Dallas' character would tell Jake that he had to choose between Lily and his friends.

They were both good actors, but I had to admit Austin was better. Dallas was just kinda reading the lines, while I could tell that Austin was living them. He wás Jake at that moment, but Dallas was still playing his character.

"Maybe you should just mind your own business," Austin said on stage, and I frowned.

That was not in the script. I would know, I wrote the script.

"And keep away from another man's girl." His voice had gone harsh and I could immediately tell he wasn't being Jake anymore.

He was being Austin.

"Maybe you should let the lady choose, instead of claim her like she's some kind of prize," Dallas answered. His voice had also gotten a sharp edge to it.

"Maybe you should just shut the fu…"

"Mr Moon, that is definitely not in the script!" Mrs Drew interrupted. She sighed. "Can we please continue with this rehearsal? You two can fight your battles off stage."

They both continued, but the spark was gone. And when they finally got off stage, the final rehearsal finished, they both looked super tense.

"What was that all about?" Trish was always one to tackle the issue while it's hot.

"She's not YOURS, Moon. I don't give a damn what you think, you can't KEEP her from me!" Dallas said angrily.

"Why don't you just STAY away from her, before I put my fist through your face?"

Austin's voice scared me. I had never heard this tone on him. This wasn't just a little upset, this was furious.

His fists were balled, his shoulders tense, his jaw clenched.

Being completely sure that if I didn't stop this, he might actually put his fist through Dallas' face, I took his hand.

I could immediately feel his muscles relaxed, as he looked down at me. The look in his eyes softened.

"Go home," I whispered. "Please, Austin, just go."

A sad look fell across his face as he took a step back.

"Ally, we can still go out for a drink?" I heard Dallas say in the background.

But I couldn't focus on anything else but Austin's brown eyes, filled with hurt and anger and sadness, a big mix of emotions, but none of them good.

"Fine," he muttered, and he turned around.

I watched him walk away, his head hanging low, and then I turned to Dallas, who was waiting for an answer.

I realised this was it, this was a choice I had to make right now, and whatever I did, it would have consequences.

I took one last look at Dallas, mouthed a "sorry" his way, before turning around and running after Austin, only catching up with him in the parking lot.

"Austin!" I called. He stopped from getting in his car.

"Hi, Als," he said, sounding tired. "You want a ride home?"

I did need a ride home. And it would give me a chance to talk to him without him having the option to run away. So I got in the car.

Although I had every intention of starting the conversation, wanting to know what had just happened, I didn't know how to start, and we drove in complete silence, until he parked the door in front of the music store.

Just when I wanted to open the door and leave it be, Austin started to talk.

"I'm sorry, Als. About Dallas."

I closed the door of the car again.

"Why don't you want me going out with him? Is something wrong with him? Is he going to hurt me?" I asked, needing an answer, needing a reason so I could make sense of this all.

Austin shook his head. "I wish I could say that, but nothing is wrong with Dallas. I'm sure he could make you happy."

"Then why…?"

"I don't even know," he interrupted me. "I just… It doesn't feel right, you being with him."

"I'm not WITH him, I was just going out for a drink," I said. I realised that I sounded like I was comforting him, which wasn't exactly what I was supposed to be doing right now.

"I know, but still. It just… feels…" he paused, "wrong."

"Why?"

He smiled at me, but it was a sad smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Cause he's not me."

It was silent for a couple of seconds, while I was vigorously trying to wrap my head around what he had just said.

"But…"

"Never mind," he interrupted again. "You know what, never mind. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

He opened the car door for me, almost pushing me out of the car.

"Bye!"

The door slammed shut, and before I knew it, the car sped out of the street, leaving me behind in utter confusion.


	11. Chapter 11

*Austins POV*

I wasn't sure if she'd come. My fingers moved over the strings, creating a melody.

The melody I had created.

I smiled. She wouldn't believe her ears. I, Austin Moon, had actually written a song.

Turned out all I needed was a muse.

Yesterday, I was trying to find a song that fit my situation right now. Like always, I was trying to find myself in a song.

But I couldn't find one. I couldn't find a song that really represented this… thing. The thing with Ally.

So I had written my own song. The song that did represent this whole thing. And to my own surprise, it turned out to be a good song.

I had texted her, asking to meet me in the music room at school before class started. Knowing Ally, she'd be early anyways.

But maybe she didn't read my text, or maybe she thought I was kidding. I was never at school before second period.

Ever.

But this time, I was. And it was her fault.

The door opened and I smiled at her. She looked surprised.

"You're actually here, I thought you might have sent that text in your sleep or something," she laughed.

I was glad she was acting like always. Not that I had expected her to bring up yesterday.

She was just like me; if we don't talk about it anymore, it's like it never happened.

She came closer. How did she look this good, this early in the morning? It was simply not fair.

"I, uhm, I want you to hear something," I said. My voice trembled a little. Why did it do that? It had never done that before!

Also her fault.

"Why?" She furrowed her brows, but sat next to me on the little bench in the corner.

"I wrote it… for the musical."

I didn't. But she couldn't know that.

I wrote it within an hour last night, not able to stop. I wrote it because I wanted to say something, but I couldn't.

That night, writing in Ally's practise room, she'd told me that's why she liked writing songs.

"It's kind of like a message in a bottle," she had said. "It's like, if you have something you really want to say to someone, but you're too scared to say it to them, you write it in a song and you send it out into the world and maybe it'll end up with them."

So I wrote a song, to tell her what I wanted to say.

But I wasn't telling her that. I was hoping that although I told her I wrote it for the musical, she would hear it and realise it was about her.

Yeah, because every time I tried to drop hints, that next morning in the practise room, or yesterday, it worked out so well. And the hints couldn't get any clearer than the one yesterday.

I needed to be careful with that. I could've ruined everything, yesterday.

A shiver went down my back, thinking that she could've not gone after me. She could've gone with him.

And then I would've lost her.

"For the musical?" she asked, confused.

"Yeah. I know it's already done, but I was just reading the script and I felt like I had something left to say." Seeing her confusion, I quickly corrected myself. "Jake had something left to say."

I started with the melody again.

"You don't have to put it in, if you don't like it. I just want your opinion. It is the first song I've ever written, after all."

I took a deep breath, and turned to her. She looked curious.

And I started singing.

_I've been searching for something true,  
and my heart says it must be you.  
I'd love to fall and see it through,  
but only if you told me to._

_I'd run through the desert, I'd walk through the rain,  
Get you into trouble and take all the blame.  
I'd paint you a picture, write you a song,  
and I'd do it all over if I did it all wrong._

I looked up, so I could look at her. She stared right back, a smile around her lips.

_I don't want to steal you away,  
or make you change the things that you believe.  
I just wanna drink from the words you say,  
and be everything you need.  
Yeah I could be so good at loving you,  
but only if you told me to._

_And maybe this is something I'll never be,  
but I'll be right here until you tell me._

When I stopped, Ally started clapping.

"That's amazing, Austin! I'll find a way to put it in the musical. Wow, that's such a good song! I'll definitely put it in. I have to go to class, but really, good job!"

She squeezed my shoulder and hurried away.

I sighed. Of course she didn't get it. No, she wasn't very good with hints.

But I wasn't sure if I was brave enough to tell her up front and risk losing the best thing that had ever happened to me.

* * *

*Ally's POV*

He must think I'm so rude, running off like that.

But I had to get out of there, before I did something stupid. Because I was totally the kind of person that could blurt out: "Wow I wish this song was about me."

Cause I did. Wish it was about me. The way he was staring into my eyes while singing it, made me want to lurch forward and kiss him.

Which wasn't good, because he was just a friend.

I sighed. I realised yesterday, after he'd run off like that, leaving me with those words, that although I had pushed the thought of Austin being more than just my friend away, because I didn't want to admit that it was something I really wanted.

I liked Austin.

And it was a terrible thing, because he would never like me, not like that.

The audience would love this song. It would be one of the favourites, I was sure of it.

I'd fit it in right before they admitted their love for each other.

The only problem with this song was that it sounded more like a song you would sing to someone you've known for a long time.

And these kids only knew each other for a couple of days before "falling in love".

I sat down in biology at my table at the window, and stared outside.

On the other hand, I hadn't known Austin for that long either, and still, it felt like I'd never been without him.

Suddenly, I understood Romeo and Juliet a little better.

You could actually fall in love with someone really fast. Maybe not two days, let's be honest here.

But still, quite fast.

"Hi Ally, is anyone sitting here?"

I looked up, right at Kira, who was smiling at me. I smiled back.

"No, sure, go ahead." Trish wasn't here today.

She was "sick". Meaning, she had to hand in an assignment that she had obviously not done yet.

"Are you excited for the big day?" I asked. I realised it sounded like she was getting married, so I quickly corrected myself. "The musical. I mean."

She laughed.

I was jealous of her laugh. Her laugh sounded really pretty.

"Yeah, I am. But I'm also a bit nervous. It's in two days already, and I don't feel like I'm comfortable with all my lines yet."

I nodded understandingly. "You want me to read with you? I know all of the lines, probably because I wrote them. Can't forget them!"

"Thank you Ally, but that's okay," she answered. "Austin is helping me read. Makes more sense, since he is going to be on stage with me, right?"

I nodded, ignoring the knot that my insides were tying.

"I'm having dinner with him tonight, so we might read then." She giggled, before continuing: "But then again, we might be busy with… other things."

I took a deep breath.

I needed to stop this. Austin wasn't into me. We weren't ever going to be together. He wasn't supposed to be with someone like me; he belonged with someone like Kira.

Someone really pretty and popular and nice.

I tried to focus on my biology work, but I couldn't concentrate.

I couldn't shake the feeling that for someone that always made fun of romantic movies for being unrealistic and stupid, I was being really unrealistic and stupid about who I was falling in love with.

* * *

**Song; If You Told Me To by Hunter Hayes**


	12. Chapter 12

I was a wreck.

A complete wreck.

It was the day of the big show. No, not the day; the moment.

Right now. Early people were already coming in. I'd already seen my dad.

Backstage, people were frantically running around, fixing make-up and getting dressed.

Trish was yelling at Dez to do things for her.

Kira was in a corner, reading through her lines one last time.

I was looking around, wanting to help but not doing anything because I couldn't do anything else but stress.

Because Austin wasn't here.

This show was supposed to start in only one hour. One hour. And where was our leading man?

Well, if only anybody knew!

I had called him a hundred times, asked everybody, but nobody knew. I hadn't seen him all day, but I had figured I would see him tonight.

Tonight, which was now. And he wasn't here. Why wasn't he here?

I tried to call him again. When his voicemail started playing, which by now, was all too familiar, I had to resist the temptation to smash my phone against the wall.

"Ally have you found Austin? He has to start putting his costume on!" Trish yelled.

"No I haven't found him, but if I do, I'll kill him!"

I sounded hysterical, I was aware of that, but I didn't care. I was on the verge of crying, that was how bad it was.

I would kill him. How dare he do this to me.

Without him, there was no show.

The show I had worked so hard on. The show that had turned out to be something I was really proud of.

I sat down, resting my head in my hands, half of me planning Austins death and the other half trying to hold back my tears.

Tinglinglingling.

I grabbed my phone with the speed of lightning. I seriously wasn't aware it was even possible to be this fast.

"Austin?"

"Ally!"

"I'm so happy you called," I said, relieved. "You scared me for a moment, I thought you wouldn't make it!"

"I won't."

"And then I was trying to figure out what to do and…. Wait, what?"

When I realised what he had just said, I felt all the blood drain from my face.

"You won't… Make it?"

"I'm really sorry Ally," he said softly.

"But why?" I cried out. Maybe he was stuck in traffic. We could start a little later. We could just say we were experiencing technical difficulties and…

"I'm grounded."

Well, that wasn't going to be an option than.

"You.. are grounded? Are you kidding?" I snickered.

He had to be kidding. Right?

"Nope, sorry. I went out with Kira last night and got home late, so my parents grounded me. I'm not allowed out at all." He was silent for a second. "I'm really sorry Als. I tried to talk to them, but…"

He went out with Kira and got home late. Well, that was it then.

Dreams crushed. Show cancelled. I would be made fun of for the rest of my life.

Because Austin went out with Kira and got home late.

"I understand if you're angry," Austin said softly.

I couldn't even be angry with him.

"I'm not," I said. My voice was thick and I couldn't be sure that I wouldn't cry. "I just… I wished… You know, never mind, Austin. I hope your night with Kira was worth it."

My voice broke and I hang up the phone.

"Was that Austin?" Kira was suddenly standing next to me.

I couldn't deal with her right now.

"Yeah, and he's not coming." I didn't explain anything else, and I didn't have to, because Kira didn't ask.

"Oh," she just said. "So I can go home then?"

I nodded, sitting down on the floor, just staring at my hands.

Yeah, she could go home. There was not going to be a show anyway.

Kira left, but I couldn't bring myself to go and tell everyone it was over.

Everyone had worked so hard to get here, and now it was just done.

So I just sat there, staring, and I felt a single tear stream down my cheek.

"Ally?" Trish walked up to me, Dez following closely behind.

"Ally? Are you crying?" She sat down next to me and put her arm around me.

"He's not coming," I said, and that's all it took for me to fall apart in her arms. I rested my head on her shoulder and cried.

Cried for the show, for everyone that had put so much hard work into this.

Cried with disappointment. Because I really didn't think Austin would let me down.

I just sat there, for what felt like an eternity. Everybody around us was still running, not knowing that everything they were doing would be lost.

* * *

"Finally, there you are!" I heard Mrs Drew say, and I looked up, wiping the tears away.

At first, I couldn't really see anything, but then I saw a blond mop of hair.

One that I would recognize everywhere.

"Austin?" I brought out.

"Ally!" He started walking towards me.

I leaped up and ran. I didn't know what came over me, but I ran, launching myself into his arms.

He caught me and pulled me into him. Right before I buried my face in his neck, I saw the confused look on his face.

I wrapped my arms around his body and continued crying. I wanted to stop, I really did, but I simply couldn't.

"I thought you wouldn't come," I sniffed.

His arms tightened around me, his hand going up to my head and pushing my face even further into his neck.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I'm so so sorry, Als. You have to forgive me. Please forgive me."

"I…. hate you….so much."

He giggled. Through my tears, I smiled. He was really here. Nothing was lost yet.

"I know you do. I deserve it. Just don't hate me forever, okay?"

I shook my head. "I want to, but I don't think I can."

Then, I pulled away. His t-shirt was wet with my tears.

"Sorry about that," I muttered, embarrassed.

"Sfine. Where's the costume?"

I suddenly realised that a lot had happened between when I talked to him on the phone 20 minutes ago and now.

"Wait, what about you being grounded?" I asked.

"I snuck out," he said, already taking of his shirt. Trish handed him another, the one he was supposed to wear and that didn't have mascara stains on it.

"I couldn't bare the disappointment in your voice." He turned to me and took my hand.

"I wasn't going to let you down, Als. I'll never let you down, I promise."

I stared into his eyes. He was looking at me so sincere, with so much... Love, almost.

Or maybe I was just imagining that.

He let go of my hand and put on the other shirt.

I wanted to hug him again, but didn't, for fear of more mascara stains and also because he might've had enough physical affection from me for the time being.

Then I suddenly realised something.

Something important.

"Wait," I said. "Wait!"

Everybody stopped, including Dez and Trish.

"Kira already left. She can't be back in time. What are we going to do?" I groaned.

I could feel my eyes tear up again, but bit my lip and tried to hold them back.

Trish cursed and Dez made a weird noise. I sat down on the floor again, ready to give up.

"No, no, no! Please don't cry!" Austin sat next to me and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into him again.

"Please don't cry again, Als, I can't stand to see you cry. We'll make it work, I promise."

"You can't, Austin. You can't make it work. Nobody knows Kira's lines. Nobody can replace her and we can hardly do it without a Lily."

He seemed to think for a second. Then he turned to me.

"You know her lines."

Thinking he was joking, I let out a cynical laugh.

"Yeah, why don't I go out there and belt out a couple songs?"

He took my hands in his, positioning himself in front of me, so close that I had no other choice but to look him straight in the eyes.

"I know this is asking a lot, but this is all I can think of. This is the way to continue the show. You have to do it, Als, you have to!"

"No!" I practically yelled. "Did you not listen to a word I told you? Stage fright. Vomiting. Fainting."

"I know, but I also know you can do it. You can. I believe in you."

I stared into his brown eyes, which were so sure, so full of believe in me.

"Besides, you don't have to do it alone, right? Just pretend it's just me. You just keep your eyes on me and forget about all the other people, yeah? We can do it, Ally, together, because we're a good team."

I sighed. Maybe he was right. Maybe I could do it, if he was there for me.

"Okay," I whispered, so softly I could almost not hear myself say it.

Austin smiled, leaned forward and kissed my cheek.

"You won't regret it, Als. I promise."


	13. Chapter 13

I did regret it. So much.

I was standing behind the curtains. They could open any moment, and I could hear the crowd.

"Just look at me," Austin whispered. He was standing next to me, but when the curtains were going to open, he would have to go to the other side of the stage, because the first song was us meeting at a party.

The lights dimmed.

It was time.

"I can't breathe," I whispered.

"You'll be fine, I promise, just don't look at them, look at me." Austin gave my hand one last reassuring squeeze, and went to his place, all the way on the other side of the stage.

The only good thing was that I didn't have to sing yet, because in this scene, Jake saw Lily at the party and, falling in love with her immediately, sang a song about how much he liked her.

The spotlight was on Austin, I just had to stand there pretending to be fabulous.

With a shock, I realised that this wasn't believable at all. A guy like Austin falling for a girl like Kira, that could work, but a guy like Austin falling for a girl like me, that was simply ridiculous.

For a second, I seriously considered running of stage, but then I heard applause and the curtains started opening.

Taking Austin's advice, I turned to him. He stared right back at me, keeping his eyes locked with mine, probably knowing that if he turned away, I would fall apart.

The music started, and Austin started singing.

_She's full moon shining, like a summer night's star  
She's the girl sunbathing on the hood of her car  
She's a silver screen honey with her ray-bans on,  
get your heartbeat racing like a ticking time bomb._

Everybody joined him for the chorus, expect me of course.

_She's crazy, I don't care  
Cause I'm crazy about the girl with the red cup hands up long brown hair  
I can't help it, it's not fair  
But I'm crazy about the girl with the red cup hands up long brown hair_

_She's everything I'm looking for,  
She's my everything and so much more,  
She's a natural kind of beauty, oh, it's getting to me,  
I can't take this anymore._

Cause I'm crazy about the girl with the red cup hands up long brown hair

The music died down and I finally dared to breath. The crowd clapped loudly, but I kept my focus on Austin.

He sent a reassuring smile my way.

* * *

Somehow, I managed. I managed to get words out of my mouth. I managed, as long as I kept my eyes on Austin and didn't look at the audience.

I managed.

Right up until the moment I would have to sing.

It was just me and Austin.

The music started, and my stomach did a double flip.

Austin started singing, as he was supposed to.

_This slope is treacherous, this path is reckless,  
This slope is treacherous, and I like it_

Two headlines shine through the sleepless night and  
I will get you, get you alone.  
Your name has echoed through my mind and  
I just think you should know,  
that nothing safe is ever worth the drive  
and I will follow, follow you home.

Then it was my turn. I opened my mouth.

Nothing came out.

I turned to the crowd. The lights were blinding, so I couldn't see the people, but I could feel them.

Waiting for me. To do something, anything.

But I couldn't.

My world started turning before my eyes and I could feel my legs giving away under my own weight.

"Ally, you're not supposed to die yet," Austin whispered next to me, but my sight left me, and I fell to the ground.

* * *

"Give her some room, people!"

"Is she going to be okay?"

"You have to let her go, we need to get her to a doctor."

"I'm not leaving her!"

"She'll be fine, Dez, don't worry."

"She doesn't need a doctor, she needs some space! Back up!"

I could hear, but I couldn't open my eyes. I felt so tired, so, so tired.

I felt too tired to even try to move.

The voices faded away to background noises. Then suddenly, one of the voices, just a whisper, sprung out, like it was extremely close to my ear.

"Please be okay Als."

"Austin." I almost didn't recognize my own voice, it sounded hoarse and weird and not mine, but I recognized his voice.

"Ally!"

I recognized Trish.

"She's awake!"

That was Dez.

"GIVE HER SPACE!"

And my dad.

I felt something against my hand. Another hand. My dad's?

No, my dad's hands felt different. These were rough though, like his, rough from playing guitars, and they were bigger than mine, but nog as big as my dad's.

"I'm right here for you, Als."

Then I knew. They were Austin's.

"Austin," I croaked again.

"Shh, it's okay. I'm here. I'm right here." The hand squeezed mine.

Somehow, I managed to squeeze back.

Slowly, I tried to open my eyes. My vision was a bit blurry, but I could tell which figures were which people. I saw Trish, Dez, my dad, Mrs Drew, Dallas and a couple of other classmates.

I looked down to see Austin sitting on the floor. It appeared I was lying on a couch. He was sitting next to it, holding my hand. Clinging to me. He pushed his my hand to his cheek, and he looked completely and utterly miserable.

"I… I'm fine," I muttered.

I knew now what had happened. I had had this feeling before.

I fainted.

Of course I had. I should've known not to go on stage.

My vision got better and I felt the strength come back to my body. I moved my toes, than my leg, than my other arm. But when I tried to sit up, Austin pushed me back into the couch.

"No, don't get up! Just wait until everything is okay again. You can't do that again. You can't ever do that again." He sounded upset and it was only now that I spotted the tears that were in his eyes.

Why was he crying? I had told him I fainted when on stage. He knew this was to be expected.

"Austin, what's wrong?" I said, softly, because talking took a little too much strength right now.

"You just collapsed.. And I thought… I just… You scared me and I… Just don't ever do that again.."

Austin buried his face in his hands, but he was still holding my hand. I could feel something wet on my skin.

He was crying.

"Don't ever leave me, Als, please…"

I looked around, at everybody staring at him.

At Dallas staring at him.

That wasn't fair. I immediately felt like protecting him against their stares.

"Could you guys leave us alone, for a bit?" I brought out.

My dad immediately obliged and ushered everyone out the room.

I pushed myself upright, just to slide to the ground, so I was next to Austin. I slowly took back my hand and, like he had done only hours before, wrapped my arms around him.

I put my chin on his shoulder. He was shaking.

"I'm not going anywhere, okay? I'm never leaving you. Not even if you would want me to," I joked.

He couldn't laugh about it.

We just sat there for a while, until he started to calm down and I could feel him relaxing. I let go. He looked up.

"Would you please tell me what's going on?" I said softly.

"This isn't just because I got stage fright and fainted. This is more. What is it? Please tell me. You can trust me, I promise."

He seemed to think about what he was going to say for a couple seconds, before he said: "When I saw you fall down, I thought you were dead. I thought you were gone, just like my mom."

He took my hand and I let him. I didn't interrupt him to ask anything.

"I watched her die, you know, my mom. One moment she was fine, and then she wasn't fine, and there was nothing I could do about it. Do you know how easy it is to lose people you love?"

His eyes were still wet with tears.

"I know everybody thinks I turned into a jerk, last year. I know everyone hates me. But they don't know, Ally. They don't know that being close to people just means you've got more to lose. They don't know how much it hurts, to _care_. And I never wanted that again."

"But you care about me." It was out before I realised it.

He smiled at me, a sad smile. "Yeah. I care about you. So much, Als, you have no idea. And when you… I thought I'd lost you too. I can't…I can't ever lose you. Please don't ever let me lose you.."

I pulled him into a hug, and he pulled me into him so tightly I had trouble breathing, but I didn't do anything about it.

Seeing him like this, broke me. I would do anything, give anything, to make him feel better, but I simply didn't know what I could do.

"You won't ever lose me, Austin."

"That's why I can't do it, you know." I let him go, furrowed my brows. Now, he wasn't making any sense.

If anyone should see a doctor, I wasn't the one.

"Do what?" I asked, when he didn't continue.

"Ask you… or, you know, I…" he faltered. "You know, I wish was brave enough, but after my mom, I can't take risks anymore, not with the people I love. And I… I love you, Ally. So I can't risk it, I can't… I can't be with you."

"Austin, you're not making any sense," I whispered, ignoring how my heart was fluttering at his words.

"You really don't see it, do you?" He sighed. "But it's okay, because it's better that way anyway. Just… Can you promise me one thing, Ally?"

I nodded, not knowing what to say and uncertain about what he would say next.

"Promise me we'll always be partners."

"Always," I whispered.

"Always."

* * *

**Songs: Red Cup Hands Up Long Brown Hair by Boys like Girls and Treacherous by Taylor Swift**


	14. Chapter 14

I had to talk to someone, tell someone what Austin had said, because I couldn't make sense of it.

I'd spent two days at home, because my dad was worried about me, and I hadn't done anything else but trying, but I still couldn't make sense of it.

So I called Trish.

"Ally, for God's sake, you can be such a nitwit!" she called out. "He's in love with you! But he obviously has a phobia for losing people, so he can't "risk it", meaning he can't risk losing you as a friend by telling you that. You're going to have to tell him how you feel."

I thought about that. No, he went out with Kira. There was no way she was right.

"I can't do that. Then I'll ruin everything!"

"No you won't, you'll make everything better!"

"You're wrong, Trish, he's with Kira," I said.

"He's not with Kira, you moron. They went out to dinner, once. He likes _you_."

"I can't tell him, even if I wanted to. I just can't, Trish," I said.

"Then do what you always do," Trish answered. "Write your message in a bottle. Like he did, for you."

"What are you talking about now?"

Trish sighed. "Al-ly! Idiot! I'm talking about the song Austin wrote for you."

"He didn't.."

"Yes, he did! _I could be so good at loving you, but only if you told me to? _Are you kidding me? That's totally about you."

"That was for the mu…"

"No it wasn't. Now go write a song about Austin and don't talk to me until you've finished it."

She hang up the phone before I could say anything else.

Maybe she had a point though. There was no way I was going to tell Austin, obviously, but I could write a song about it and just write it off me.

I sat down at the piano, and the words started tumbling before I'd even started playing.

_I remember life before, faraway dreams and locking doors  
Then you came, then you came.  
Afraid to fall, to be free,  
Always my own worst enemy._

_There's no gravity, when you're next to me,  
You always break my fall, like a parachute  
When you're holding me, so well it's like I can barely breath  
You always break my fall, like a parachute_

You're my parachute.

* * *

I didn't let him hear it, of course. Trish rolled her eyes at me when I told her, but she didn't press it.

When I saw Austin again, at school, it was like we had made a silent pact to not talk about the musical night again.

Everything seemed to go back to normal.

Until two weeks later.

"Ally Ally Alllllllyyy!" Austin ran up to me, swinging me around. He was beaming with excitement.

"Guess what I did. Don't kill me."

I frowned. "Kill you? What did you do?"

"I entered us into a talent show!"

I wasn't sure whether to laugh or take him serious.

"You mean entered you into a talent show."

He shook his head. "No, us. Or, to be honest, you."

"Did you not notice what happened last time we tried that?" Frustrated, I turned around and started walking.

He couldn't be serious, right?

He followed. "Yeah, but you can't keep living with that experience! You have to make it a good experience. We can start small this time. And I know you can totally do it!"

"That's what you said last time."

"But this time I'm even more sure!"

"You're wrong. And I'm not doing it."

He took my hand, forcing me to a halt.

"You don't have a choice. Come on, let's go."

"Let's go WHERE?"

"To the talent show." He said it like he'd just told me it was going to be a sunny day in Miami.

"It's right now. I didn't tell you earlier, so you couldn't stress out about it." He actually dared to look proud, saying that.

He started pulling me along, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't free myself from his grip.

"Austin, you can't be serious!"

And I actually believed he wasn't serious, right up until the moment I got out of his car and saw a "Talent Show!" sign on the window of a café.

"But I don't even have a song," I tried to put in.

"You always have a song. Sing the last song you wrote, I'm sure you know that," he chirped, being overly happy to try throw me off guard.

"Yeah but I can't sing that one!"

"Why not?"

"Because…"

Because it's about me being in love with you.

"Because it's not rehearsed!"

"Those are the best ones. Come on now."

He pulled me into the café. A couple of guys were already on stage. They were really good.

And there were so many people here.

"You're up next," Austin said.

"I'm what?" I screeched.

"Up next. I told you I wouldn't give you time to stress? So, you ready?"

"No," I faltered.

He turned so he was standing in front of me, and took my face in his hands.

I inhaled sharply, trying to ignore the fact that his face was so close to mine our noses were almost touching.

"Ally, listen to me. I know you don't want to do this and I know you probably want to murder me right now. But the only way to overcome your fears is to face them. And you, baby girl, deserve to overcome them."

My heart fluttered. I was really liking the nicknames.

"Because you have so much talent, and I'm not going to let you hide away in the shadows forever, okay? It's a small crowd this time, so it'll be much easier to pretend they're not even here."

He softely pressed his lips to my cheek and I closed my eyes. The growling nerves in my stomach seemed to disappear with the the touch of his lips, even if it was just for a second before he let me go.

"Whatever happens, I'll be proud of you, Als, just for trying."

I wanted to say that I didn't want to try, but he was already pushing me on stage.

I sat down behind the massive piano, when I realised I had to sing my song for Austin. At this moment, it was the only song I could remember.

I started to play the piano. Relieved, I noticed I could do that. I looked down to the audience, and saw Austin, right in front of the stage, smiling at me.

There was no way I could sing this song, while looking at him, while looking at him looking at me like that.

There was no way I could make him proud.

I opened my mouth, expecting no words would come out. But they did. They came out, and suddenly, I was actually singing.

_With you, it all begins,  
feeling okay in my own skin.  
So I'm alive, I'm so alive._

I didn't know how, but somehow, it felt like it was just me and Austin. I was just telling him what I'd told him in dreams a hundred times before. And he was standing right there, listening to my words, and although that should make this even more scary, it just made me feel like I could do anything.

As long as he would be right there.

_This life isn't gonna be perfect,  
the ups and downs are gonna be worth it,  
as long as I'm with you._

_When I'm standing at the edge it's such a long way down,  
when I second-guess myself you better catch me now.  
Never touch the ground._

_There's no gravity, when you're next to me  
You always break my fall,  
like a parachute.  
When you're holding me, so well it's like I can barely breath  
You always break my fall, my fall, like a parachute_

I softened the piano, softened my voice, still staring at Austin.

_You're my parachute_

And then, when the applause started to get through to me, I ran. Away from the boy I had just told so much more than he was supposed to ever know.

Because I didn't want to know what he would think.

* * *

**Song: Parachute by Laura Marano**


	15. Chapter 15

I leaned against the wall of the café, taking deep breaths.

It was getting dark outside, but it was still warm. I stared at the sky, that was losing it's orange glow and turning to black darkness.

It was like a metaphor, for how I was feeling.

The door squeaked and I knew it was him. Felt it.

I thought about running again, but then I realised that it would do no good. There was no way this could go on the "stuff that happened between us that we would never ever talk about again" pile.

This was something I couldn't ignore until it would go away. This was something I would have to face.

He stood next to me, not saying anything.

He was close enough that his arm was touching mine, and I could literally smell him, the typical Austin scent.

You knew you were screwed when you recognized someone by their smell.

"In my defence, you did tell me to sing the last song I wrote, so it's really your fault," I suddenly muttered.

He giggled.

I immediately felt myself perk up a little. At least he didn't hate me.

A lot.

"I did, didn't I. You know what else I told you? That you would be great." His hand went to the left a little bit, and his pinkie was now touching mine. I held my breath.

"I was right about that too."

His pinkie now linked with mine. He took a deep breath, as if he was raising courage to ask his next question.

"Ally, I'm going to ask you something, and I want you to answer truthfully. I don't want you to lie for whatever reason, even if you think it would be better off that way. Okay?"

I nodded.

"Promise?" He seemed as nervous as I felt/

"Promise."

"Who did you write that song about?"

Although I took only seconds to answer, in that moment, it felt like an infinity.

"You." I took a deep breath, and kept my eyes pointed at the ground.

I was waiting for his response, him pushing me away or yelling at me or just running away as fast as he could.

He now linked our hands together and I was sure my heart would give out on me.

"Okay. Another question. Answer truthfully again, yeah?"

I nodded again, still not daring to look at him..

"If I were to kiss you right now, would you slap me in the face?"

Shocked, I looked up.

He was much closer than I'd expected.

"Truthfully?" I whispered. He nodded. "No, I wouldn't."

He came even closer, so close that my nose touched his, for the second time that hour.

"Good," he whispered, 'because that would've awkward," and he closed the gap.

The moment I felt his lips on mine, it was like fireworks exploded inside of me. I closed my eyes, let him in. My hands travelled to the back of his head, tangling in his hair, as he deepened the kiss.

When we broke apart, way too soon for my liking, he smiled.

"I like our ending more than Romeo and Juliet's," he muttered, his hands travelling to my lower back, pulling me into him.

I laughed softly, resting my forehead against his, wanting the least space between us that was pysically possible.

"I told you happy endings are the best."

* * *

_*Three months later*_

"I don't like this movie," I sniffed, burying my face into Austin's t-shirt.

We just watched Romeo and Juliet, the old movie, which happened to be one of Austin's favourites.

"The ending is just sad."

He laughed. His hand was on my lower back, his thumb aimlessly drawing circles on my skin.

"The sad ending makes the movie awesome, though."

"No, it just makes it sad."

Austin leaned forward a little bit, so he could kiss the top of my head.

"Sad endings are cool, but only in movies. In real life, I'd much rather have the good ending," he said.

"Fiction is supposed to be better than life. It's supposed to make give you a nice little escape from all the terrible real life stuff."

His hand moved to my side and he started tickling me.

"Are you trying to say that being with me is terrible?"

"Noooo…" I laughed, trying to continue with breathing. He stopped.

"Even with everything that is happening, you know I love you more than all of that, right?"

"I love you too," I said softly.

_Just a shot in the dark,  
all you got, are your shattered hopes.  
They never saw it coming,  
you hit the ground running,  
_

_and now you're onto something_

I thought about what happened the past months. Austin and I wrote some songs, recorded some demo's, and sent them to a lot of people.

After a lot of no's, he got a yes.

He got a recording contract.

_What a sight, when the light came on,  
proved me right, when you proved them wrong.  
And in this perfect weather, it's like we don't remember  
the rain we thought would last forever and ever_

His first single dropped a month ago and it was a huge hit. We were working on his debut album and I already knew it was also going to be a huge hit.

"I couldn't have done any of this without you," Austin said. I smiled.

"That's not true, but thanks for saying that."

I got up and walked up to the window. It was a nice evening, warm, dry. Glowing, almost.

Or maybe that was me.

"Austin, do you remember what I promised you that night of the musical?"

He walked up to me and stood behind me. His arms wrapped around my middle as his head rested on my shoulder.

"Yeah. That you would never leave me," he murmured. "Don't tell me you're backing out of that promise?"

I laughed. "Never, silly. But, I need you to promise me the same thing, right now. No matter how famous you become, don't ever forget about me, okay? Cause there is nothing that makes me as happy as you do."

_And when they call your name,  
and they put your picture in a frame,  
You know that I'll be there time and again._

"I promise you I will never ever forget about you, not even for a day, not even for an hour, because even if everything in my life would go right, it would never be as right as we are together." He kissed my cheek.

"I always thought music was the only thing that would ever make sense to me. But here you are, and there is nothing and no one that could ever fit me better than you."

"We're being sappy," I giggled.

"We're allowed to be sappy every once in a while, Als."

My heart still skipped a beat every time he said my nickname.

He was still the only one to call me that. It was ours.

"Well, since we're being sappy…" I turned around so I was facing him. "I just wanted to say that I'm really proud of you."

_I'll be one of the many saying,  
look at you now, look at you now.  
I'll be one of the many saying,  
you made us proud.  
You made us proud._

"I'm proud of you too, baby. Remember that I couldn't have done any of this without you, even though you could totally do it without me."

I shook my head. "No I couldn't. Not even now that I'm over my stage fright, which is also thanks to you, by the way. We're a team, remember?"

He smiled and rested his forehead against mine.

"Yeah, and a good one too."

I kissed him. He melted into the kiss, and I could still feel the butterflies in my stomach.

I was sure they would never go away.

"You want to watch another movie?" I muttered when he pulled away. He shook his head.

"Naww. You're right, this time. This life is sweeter than fiction."

_There you'll stand, next to me,  
All at once, the rest is history.  
Your eyes, wider than distance  
This life is sweeter than fiction._


	16. Author's note

So this was Sweeter Than Fiction, based on the Taylor Swift song with the same name which is one of my favourite songs ever so check it out. It turned out a bit longer than I was expecting, but I hope y'all don't mind that.

If you want to let me know what you think, I would really, really appreciate that.

Until next time,

Love, Lou.


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